Thriller
by Fury Seven Kerrigan
Summary: A planet takes advantage of Trip's imagination.
1. Chapter 1

**Thriller**

**Chapter I**

"It's a beacon Captain," T'Pol said, looking through her scanner.

The lush-looking blue and green planet on the viewscreen looked innocuous enough, Jon thought.

"I'm getting an automated message from it," Hoshi said. "Fantasy Planet, Beware."

Jon looked incredulous. "Is that it?" He asked Hoshi.

"Aye Captain," she replied.

Jon blinked. He turned to T'Pol with a slight laugh in his voice. "Maybe it's not really there- just a figment of our imagination, hence the fantasy."

"The planet registers in all normal frequencies and scans as a regular M-Class planet. Breathable atmosphere, continents, mammalian lifeforms and fauna."

"Landable then?" Archer asked hopefully.

T'Pol hesitated for a minute second before she answered. "It _is_ definitely there, and we are able to send a shuttle to it, but I would recommend against such an action. There is a beacon warning people away after all."

"But it says so little!" Jon replied, looking back at the little warning that was still being displayed on the viewscreen, lights blinking gently. "For all we know, it's warning us away from a little scientific education. Maybe it's been left by Klingons and something fantastic is down there that they don't want us to see."

T'Pol raised an eyebrow, even though Jon wasn't looking at her to see it. "That is unlikely Captain", she said as dryly as she could. "Klingons do not leave beacons as warnings. I doubt they even stock them on their ships. However, if you are insistent on there being a party going to the planet, the planet is indeed real and there seems to be no threat from the flora and fauna."

"Excellent!" Jon said, rubbing his hands, oblivious to the disapproving voice his SIC was using.

The ground was definitely real as Jon and the team departed from the shuttle into the midday sunshine on to a lush grassy field.

The rest of the team consisted of Malcolm, Trip, and T'Pol. Jon had thought that both Trip and T'Pol needed a break from the ship after recent events in the Expanse, and he felt that Malcolm had thought that he'd shamed the Captain, the ship, and himself with the revelations behind him and Section 31 and so needed to be shown that he was still important in the eyes of his Captain.

The planet where they had landed wasn't populated by anything or anyone except for animals, and yet, about a mile away from where they were standing, was most decidedly a village or small town of rustic stone and thatch single-story buildings.

They couldn't see anyone, so they slowly ventured forwards towards the settlement.

The closer the got, the quieter they realised it was. They could hear the birds, but there wasn't a soul in the place itself.

"Awfully quiet Sir," Malcolm said.

They were at the outskirts of the village, looking down a cobbled street towards an open square. As they heard nothing at all, they silently walked down the street and came out on to the square which was a market place with stalls with fresh fruit and bread, bolts of material and furs, and empty animal cages. Not a single stall was manned.

T'Pol took another scan with the instrument she held.

"Everything here is fresh but scans show that there are still no inhabitants within a five-mile radius. This entire town is deserted."

Jon walked over to the stall with the fruit on it and picked up something that looked a bit like a cross between a squash and a mango.

"Well someone had to set this lot up, and probably this morning too. It's sunny, and I can't smell this going off yet." He held it up to his nose and took a deep sniff. "Nope," he confirmed.

What he **did **smell though was a sudden pungent, yet fresh salt smell coming from the end of the town they hadn't yet been to.

"Can you smell that?" he asked the others. "It almost smells like the sea."

T'Pol looked down at her scanner again. And then frowned.

"It _is_ the sea Captain." she said. "It seems that this is a seaside town. Suddenly."

She looked up and over at another street leading from the market place to the opposite end of the town. "From that direction," she indicated.

Trip frowned deeply and led a fast-paced march to the 'new' seafront. At the end of the street and down another he strode, and came out to a cobbled beach front with sand leading to the beautiful blue and crystal clear seafront.

He turned back to find the others, but they had followed him and were just emerging from the last street. Jon took a deep breath of the brine in the air.

"Just to make sure I'm not goin' nuts- this wasn't here before, was it?" Trip asked everyone else.

"Definitely not," Malcolm reassured him, though he was looking thoroughly confused himself. "It definitely wasn't here even about ten minutes ago."

"It's just that..." Trip thought about it for a second, "...It's just that I was thinkin' of this place just as we saw the market. It reminded me of some place I went to on vacation when I was younger. And there was this beach with little sail boats on it."

"Like those?" Malcolm asked, pointing over Trip's left shoulder.

Trip turned again and suddenly saw some brightly painted wooden fishing boats, all different colours with bright white sails billowing in the gentle breeze.

"Er, yeah..." Trip said, visibly confused. "Just like those." He walked over to them and looked closer. "In fact, I think it **is **these exact ones."

He turned back to them. "I don't get it. What is this place?" He asked Jon. "This is on Earth, and we're not, but this is definitely here."

"Clearly this is something that the succinct beacon was trying to warn us of," T'Pol said, coming up behind Jon.

"Fantasy planet," Malcolm mused, leaning against the red boat closest to them. "Or **a** fantasy planet." He pondered this. "One that makes fantasies come true?" he ventured. "Or daydreams perhaps?"

T'Pol gave a slow nod. "That was my conjecture," she confirmed.

"Well then,"Jon said, standing upright. "If there is no danger but our minds- _if_ that's even the case, then at least we're in no danger."

"True Captain, but as it is exactly that- our minds- may I suggest we leave this place and leave a beacon with a better description to warn other ships."

Jon leant his head towards the sun, relishing the feel of the warmth and the sea air, but he had to agree that a place that could change with the most subconscious daydream- if nothing else- could be embarrassing. "Fine, you're probably right. Back to the shuttle we go. But," he added, starting to walk back to the street, "if that fruit is still there, I want to take some back for chef's kitchen."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thriller**

**Chapter II**

They walked back, T'Pol and Jon in the lead with Malcolm and Trip behind, each enjoying the sunny day.

Jon glanced back from time to time to make sure they weren't getting too ahead of his officers, but there they were, plodding along silently, seemingly enjoying themselves.

When they got to the shuttle, Jon opened the shuttle and allowed everyone else inside before he got in himself and settled in the pilot's seat.

They left the atmosphere without incident and hailed _Enterprise_.

"Open the shuttle bay doors please- we're returning home!" he said brightly.

"Aye Sir," he heard Hoshi say. "But- was there a problem Sir? We're only reading two biosigns on board."

"What?" Jon said. He looked around suddenly, as did T'Pol who was at the navigation console.

Malcolm and Trip weren't in the shuttle.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thriller**

**Chapter III**

"This is crazy!" Jon said to T'Pol, and loudly. "I watched them get in! I got in after them!"

Phlox had greeted them after decontamination. They had barely needed any time in the decon chamber at all.

"I must concur with the Captain," T'Pol said to the Doctor. "I entered the shuttlepod after Commander Tucker as he leant me a hand as I ducked. They were certainly there with us."

"Well I'm sorry Captain, Sub-Commander," Phlox said shaking his head a little. "But the evidence is right in front of you- there is no one there and there is absolutely no way they could leave between you taking off and you landing."

"I want this shuttle scanned inside and out. I want to know how two people can be there one second, and then not there the next. And Doctor, I want you to scan our heads- I want to see if anyone has tried to wipe our memories or anything like that!"

Phlox personally felt that this was unnecessary, but as a patient and the Captain, he felt that was the least he could do under the circumstances. "Of course Captain. Would you both please follow me to Sickbay?" He asked, toning his voice as more of a statement then a request.

Once the Sickbay doors had closed behind them, T'Pol leant over to Jon and said something that had been in the back of his mind too.

"It is possible that they were never with us and that the planet simply manufactured them as it manufactured the beach for Commander Tucker."

Jon hopped up to sit on the edge of the scanning table. "That had occurred to me T'Pol, but we didn't see any evidence at all of the planet being able to create people or lifeforms. The animals were indigenous and I'm sure that Trip's vacation didn't consist of a beach and a town with no people. My guess is that the planet can't produce people otherwise I'm sure we'd have seen some."

T'Pol stood back as Jon swung his legs around to lie down on the bed to go into the scanner.

"In any case, I shan't rule it out Captain. Just in case."


	4. Chapter 4

**Thriller**

**Chapter IV**

Malcolm and Trip had been following Jon and T'Pol quite happily back on the planet.

Malcolm was a little concerned though. "I'm sure this isn't the way we came," he said to Trip next to him, gesturing to the forest they were near.

Trip looked at him, then looked around at the trees that Malcolm was looking at.

"Hm- I think you might be right there," he said.

T'Pol and Jon were just about to go out of sight as they rounded some of the trees on the edge of the forest.

Trip jogged over to catch up with them with Malcolm following on his heels.

Trip rounded the trees and then stopped dead meaning that Malcolm very nearly knocked into him.

"Watch it!" Malcolm said automatically, forgetting that he was his superior for a moment.

"What the-?" Trip said.

"What?" Malcolm answered, coming from around the back of Trip to his side. "Where are they?" he asked.

"Damned if I know," Trip said. "JON!" he yelled out suddenly. "T'POL?"

They listened, barely breathing.

"Not a thing," Malcolm answered for them. He took out his scanner from his pocket and scanned the area. "There's no one here- it's just the two of us,"

"That's impossible," Trip said. "They were just here!" He reached out for Malcolm's scanner and took it from him.

He did another scan and his mouth dropped open. "You're right."

"Yes, I _know_, Commander," Malcolm said, slightly annoyed.

"I'm sorry, it's just- they were right here."

Malcolm thought about it for a moment. "You were reminiscing about your holiday and I have to admit that I took my eyes off them for a few moments. Did you watch them at all times?" He asked.

"Er, no I didn't," Trip looked and felt a bit sheepish. "I was enjoying the fresh air too much. I guess the planet tricked us and we followed the wrong pair."

"Damnit!" Malcolm thumped his fist into his palm. There were many self-critical thoughts going through his head.

"It's okay Mal," Trip said, "T'Pol said so- we're not in any danger here except from our minds. Just think happy thoughts! And while we're doin' that, let's retrace our steps and get back to that shuttlepod. They won't leave without us."

It was then that they heard the shuttle engines overhead. Both of them looked up to see a shadow in the sky getting smaller.

Trip's face fell marginally.

"Well, they must have seen duplicates of us too, but they'll soon realise. Space is outside the atmosphere of the planet and any effects on them will soon disappear, I'm sure."

"Wonderful," was Malcolm's muttered reply.

"Seriously Malcolm," Trip said, "this is one place where you really **do** have to think positive. We don't want to come across any thunderstorms and get wet through because you're blamin' yourself for stuff."

Malcolm breathed a rather large sigh. "I suppose you're right," he conceded.

"There y'are!" Trip brightened up, slapping an arm across Malcolm's shoulders. "They'll get back to _Enterprise_, realise what's happened and come straight back."

"Famous last words?" was Malcolm's reply, earning a semi-reproachful look from Trip.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thriller**

**Chapter V**

Once they had been left behind, Trip and Malcolm started to walk back to the market town, for lack of anywhere else to be.

The grey clouds overhead were showing off Malcolm's mood rather well until Trip dug him in the ribs.

"Seriously Mal, I don't want to get wet," he said as he pointed to the sky above.

Malcolm's gaze followed Trip's finger and he sighed. "Sorry Trip. Let's just hail _Enterprise_ and make sure they haven't forgotten us. I'll feel a lot better."

"You're right," Trip said, and he flipped out his communicator. "Tucker to _Enterprise_," he said.

"Commander!" Came Hoshi's instant response. "The Captain is going out of his mind thinking that you've disappeared! Apparently you got into the shuttlepod with him and Sub-Commander T'Pol and then weren't there when they got out."

"Same for us Hosh," Trip said, smiling at Malcolm's relieved look that they hadn't been usurped by doppelgängers. "We thought we were following _them_ until they turned a corner and disappeared. Next thin' we know, the shuttlepod's flyin' over our heads. So when are ya comin' to get us? I think it's startin' to get dark here" Trip asked, looking out at the horizon.

There was a short pause from Hoshi's end. "Erm, I'll just get the Captain out of Sickbay- he wanted to make sure no one had kidnapped you from the shuttle and had the Doctor scan for any memory-altering drugs! He'll be very relieved."

Trip waited while Hoshi contacted Jon and T'Pol in Sickbay.

"They're on their way Commander," she said.

After a minute, Trip and Malcolm heard the very relieved sound of Jon on the communicator.

"Trip! Malcolm! Am I glad to hear from you!"

"Yeah Cap'n, we are too, for you that is- we thought we were followin' you all that time."

"It's this planet. I have to say that maybe T'Pol was right about the beacon. We're going to leave a better one in it's place."

"Maybe..?" Malcolm muttered from beside Trip. If Jon heard it then he chose to pretend he hadn't.

They heard Archer talking to someone away from the communicator for a few moments.

"Trip, it says there are suddenly lots of people in the area around the market town." Archer said, his voiced full of sudden urgency.

Trip and Malcolm exchanged sudden glances. "What did you think about?" They both asked each other simultaneously.

"Oh no," Trip suddenly realised. "What with thinkin' 'bout getting' back to the ship, I started thinkin' about movie night tonight- it's a zombie film..."

"Oh Trip," Malcolm said, shaking his head in despair. "Think about something else! Please!"

The night was starting to set in, and it seemed to Malcolm to be coming a bit too quickly, but maybe that was part of the planet's natural cycle as opposed to Trip's overactive imagination.

From the forest treeline nearby, they could hear the low grumblings and murmurs of every zombie movie soundtrack.

"Uh Cap',?" Trip said, "That shuttlepod comin' to pick us up would be a great idea right about now..."

"What's going on Trip? What's happening?" Came Jon's concerned voice over the communicator.

"Zombies Cap'n," Trip replied.

Just then, the comm gave into white noise and then died.

"What jist happened?" Trip said, backing away from the forest, Malcolm watching his back and backing away too.

"Did the communicator just die?" Malcolm asked.

"Yeah, just like that. It was all fine before," Trip said.

"Typical," was all Malcolm said, making Trip suddenly suspicious.

"Mal..." he turned to his friend, "I think you just fried our communicators with that attitude."

"What? I couldn't've," he said, but the sentence died in his throat. "Sorry Trip," he said sheepishly. "I think you might be right. It would be nice to have them back now..." he tailed off, both of them looking at the communicator hopefully.

Nothing.

"Sorry Trip," Malcolm repeated.

Trip looked at the forest line- he could just make out movement coming out. "Anyway, the Cap'n knows we're here and he's sending a shuttlepod. Let's get outta here."

Malcolm took one look at the treeline which he now realised was all around them and the whole line had halting, stuttering movements coming from it. All the movement seemed to be coming towards them.

"I'll suggest the market town as it's still there and seems to have no one in it coming towards us at this current moment."

Trip looked towards the town as he pocketed the communicator. "Got it. Lead on," he said.

They jogged to the town- it wasn't that far away, and as they reached the outskirts, it was still quiet.

"Shall we go see if those boats are there?" Trip said. "From every zombie movie I've ever seen, zombie's can't swim."

Malcolm rolled his eyes, even though Trip wouldn't be able to see him as they were jogging and it was definitely dark by now, the first stars pricking their way through the night sky.

They got to the market place and found the road that took them down to the beach as they remembered it. Halfway down it though, several doors burst open, and out came the zombies, the shuffling of the feet dragging against the cobbles towards them, arms outstretched.

"Time to retrace our steps Trip!" Malcolm yelled, grabbing his friend by the shoulder and spinning him around making Trip almost lose his footing in the process. He didn't though and they quickly got back to the market place, ducking behind some of the fruit stalls they had seen earlier in the day.

"Seriously Trip- zombies?" Malcolm admonished Trip as they crouched panting behind an abandoned market stall, the produce starting to smell over-ripe from being out in the sun too long.

"I can't help it- I was looking forward to that movie!" Trip retorted, trying to see over the stall, but without being seen himself. "At least the smell of whatever fruit this is might help disguise our live-human smell."

Malcolm snorted softly, "we still have to get out of here, which means going out there sometime," he indicated the market place. "The shuttlepod can't land here."


	6. Chapter 6

**Thriller**

**Chapter VI**

"Come on Trip," Malcolm said.

They were still hidden behind a market stall, hoping that any zombies nearby would be smelling rotten fruit instead of human flesh.

"I'm really tryin'," Trip said, honestly sounding embarrassed about his imagination.

"Well now," Malcolm said, trying to distract his friend from thinking about the flesh-eating living dead that were probably nearly right on top of them. "It's a very nice evening, despite everything else- it reminds me of campfires in the Eagle Scouts and roasting marshmallows telling each other ghost stories."

That instantly caught Trip's attention. "Yeah, I remember that sort of thing with my family- dad would take us all out and it was great fun- the annual Tucker camp-out. I remember the best stories that dad used to tell. We'd always try to one-up each other with the scariest things." Trip's sentence fizzled out as he sat back, quite relaxed, thinking about good times back on Earth, just as Malcolm had intended.

Malcolm stuck his head out over the stall thinking intensely about the stars and what he could see in them. He wanted to see the shuttlepod, but he didn't want a phantom shuttlepod appearing either.

"Shall we have a look around?" he said, looking down at Trip and offering a hand to help him up.

The market place was blissfully quiet and serene again, which they were very glad about. They walked towards the beach down the now empty road, thinking intensely about camp fires and marshmallows and stories being told in jest to try and scare each other but always for the fun of it.

"I remember always having to share the tent with Lizzie after those stories," Trip said suddenly, laughing slightly at how nervous she would be even though she'd taken full delight when the campfire was roaring and everyone was enjoying themselves. "But the quiet of the night afterwards would change all that." Trip gave a big guffaw. "'Course, what I never told her was that I sure was glad she was there too!"

Malcolm laughed. "In the Eagle Scouts, that would probably have been frowned upon! But I'm sure we were all secretly glad that we had three to a tent anyway."

Trip smiled at the thought of a troop of little Malcolms being all brave to save face. While thinking about that and nearly at the beach, he thought he saw something from the corner of his eye.

Suddenly wondering if his imagination had got the better of him again, he turned quickly to try and catch whatever it was but there was nothing there.

He took a few steps in the direction of the doorway that he'd seen it in.

"Where are you going Trip?" Malcolm asked, frowning.

"Er, nowhere. Just thought I saw something there," Trip replied, pointing to the doorway. Trip looked again, but seeing nothing,he then carried on with Malcolm down the road.

The street opened out on to the beach area.

There was a sound of the shuttlepod up overhead, which both of them looked up to see. The landing lights glowed above them, and they settled themselves right in the middle of the beach to make the best of the open space for whomever was piloting to land.

The shuttlepod landed and the hatch opened up to reveal the grinning face of Travis.

"Heard you guys needed some help getting home?"

Both Trip and Malcolm grinned at the young man and headed forwards but not before seeing a host of ethereal forms headed quickly towards them.

"What the-?" Trip began.

"Ghosts!" Malcolm replied, pushing Trip through the hatch, making him stumble through the door quite ungracefully. "Get us up Travis!"

"Yes Sir!" Travis said, his superstitious self not needing anymore encouragement from anyone.

The shuttlepod took off very quickly, not as smoothly as Travis would normally do it, but no one on that craft would take note of it- they all wanted to disappear from that planet as soon as possible.

Trip and Malcolm sat back in their seats, breathing a sigh of relief.

"We're clear of the planet Sirs," Travis said with a relieved laugh which the other two echoed.

Trip looked over at Malcolm.

"Seriously Malcolm- ghosts?" Trip almost repeating Malcolm from earlier.

"Well," Malcolm admitted, looking sheepish, "at least they're slightly more believable than zombies!"


End file.
